


Murder on the Merry-Go-Round

by canufeelthemagictonight



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Clowns, Gen, Grief/Mourning, I'm Sorry, I’m so sorry Nikita, Knives, Murder, Shock, The Author Regrets Everything, carousel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 21:25:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15649227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: The clown with the six-pack (Luke, they said his name is) rolls an eight on the Dice of Death. Apparently, that number belongs to Nikita, who happens to be right next to Joey on the carousel.What if Mortimer hadn’t gotten there in time to save the Troublemaker?An Escape the Night AU.





	Murder on the Merry-Go-Round

**Author's Note:**

> Why do I keep doing this to myself?

The clown with the six-pack (Luke, they said his name is) rolls an eight on the Dice of Death. Apparently, that number belongs to Nikita, who happens to be right next to Joey on the carousel. “The hell?” shouts the blonde, her face twisted with furious fear. “Why are you pointing at me?”

Joey’s throat tightens. _Let there be a miracle,_ he prays, but he isn’t sure that he will get an answer from the clouds.

No answer arrives. The carousel shudders to a stop, and everyone starts shouting at once. The head clown, armed with a steely knife, marches towards Nikita, who is currently struggling against her bonds while screaming a string of curse words at her captors.

“Don’t!” yells Colleen, her voice hoarse.

“Omigod!” gasps Teala. “Stop!”

Rosanna is already crying. “No no no no no...”

“Nikita!” Manny’s whole body is shaking uncontrollably; he appears to be trying to start an earthquake. “Nikita! No! _Nikita!”_

As the head clown storms past Joey, the Savant finds the courage to speak up. “Please. Don’t do this. Kill me instead. I’m the one who stole your box, so I should pay the price.”

“You’ll get your turn,” the head clown chuckles. “But first...”

She’s reached Nikita.

Nikita seems to know that she’s doomed. She stops struggling, raises her head, and shoots a death glare at the clown who’s about to kill her. “You’re a _bitch,”_ she snarls, poison in her voice, “and you’re going to _pay_ for what you’ve done.”

“Oh, _sure_ I will, sweetie,” snickers the head clown as she raises her knife.

Joey closes his eyes.

The sounds of a knife stabbing into flesh, combined with his friend’s dying cries, reverberate through his ears like sonic booms. When he finally opens his eyes, Nikita Dragun is nothing more than a bloody, motionless body tied to a carousel.

On the other side of the carousel, Manny screams Nikita’s name in the anguished tones of a man whose soul is being ripped in two, while a teary-eyed Matt shakes his head and mutters “dammit” under his breath. Even Jc has ditched his usual calm demeanor in favor of a face of total shock.

“One down!” giggles the head clown. “And...” She does a quick head count. “...nine to go! Who’s gonna join Blondie in hell? Let’s find out!”

She restarts the carousel. The rest of the group freaks out even more than they did on the first go-round. Everyone, that is, except for Manny, who slumps against his pole with a lifeless expression in his eyes, and Joey, who still can’t believe what he just saw.

_They killed Nikita. There wasn’t even a vote, or a challenge, or anything. They just killed her. And they’re going to keep killing us until we’re all dead._

He feels sick to his stomach.

“Guys, there’s still hope,” says Safiya bravely. “Remember, if they roll a twelve, they’re gonna let one of us go. Let’s hope they roll a twelve!”

“As if rolling a twelve is gonna bring Nikita back,” Colleen snaps at her.

Luke rolls again.

“Six!”

Joey is Seven. He knows he is, because Nikita was Eight, and she was next to him, and now she’s dead. He looks to his other side, and he sees that the clowns have focused their murderous attention on Roi.

_Not again..._

“Me?” All the color drains from Roi’s face. “No! No! I don’t wanna die! I haven’t even done anything cool yet!”

The head clown laughs. The clowns prepare to stop the carousel.

And then, just as all hope seems lost, Mortimer appears.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Nikita. I really do. I guess I just really like hurting the characters I love, as evidenced by the novel I’m currently writing about this season.


End file.
